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Photos: President Obama & First Family Visits El Salvador
This entry was posted in Barack Obama, Business, Current Events, Economics, Economy, Employment News, Jobs, Media, Michelle Obama, Open Thread, Politics, President Obama, Relationships, The First Family and tagged 3 Chics Politico, El Salvador, First Lady Michelle Obama, Malia Obama, National Palace, President Barack Obama, President Mauricio Funes, San Salvador, Sasha Obama, The First Family, Vanda Pignato. Bookmark the permalink.
The president is so brilliant, put aside hatred for blacks and desire to have him seen as a failure The man will take America to great heights given a 2nd chance.
In El Salvador, Obama lauds Funes as a model Central American leader
During his two-day visit to El Salvador, President Obama hailed center-left President Mauricio Funes as a leader who has strengthened democracy in a region beset by instability.
By Tim Rogers, Correspondent / March 23, 2011
Managua, Nicaragua
President Obama hailed the “wise leadership” and reconciliatory efforts of President Mauricio Funes in El Salvador during the third and final stop of his Latin American tour Tuesday afternoon
During his two-day visit to El Salvador – his first and only stop in Central America after visiting Brazil and Chile – Mr. Obama discussed the importance of strengthening regional efforts to combat drug trafficking, increase trade and investment, and improve the region’s economic prospects to offer young people job opportunities that don’t require emigrating to the United States.
Obama also pledged $200 million to fund a regional security response to transnational crime and drug-trafficking, focusing on preventive measures and the strengthening of judicial and public-security institutions.
IN PICTURES: Obama in Latin America
But in a Tuesday afternoon press conference, the two presidents stressed the importance of building a new model of US-Latin American relations based on partnerships among equals.
While the thrust of that message appeared to get a bit lost on the media scrum – the US press corps asked questions only about Libya, while their Salvadoran counterparts limited their queries to concerns about how much money Washington was going to give El Salvador – the presidents stressed the importance of creating a new vision for north-south relations.
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Americas/2011/0323/In-El-Salvador-Obama-lauds-Funes-as-a-model-Central-American-leader
Presidential Trip to El Salvador Highlights Youth
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/
On his trip to Latin America, President Obama highlighted the theme of partnership and echoed President Kennedy’s challenge “to build a hemisphere where all people can hope for a sustainable, suitable standard of living, and all can live out their lives in dignity and in freedom.”
One of the modern challenges for Latin American countries like El Salvador is addressing the grip of gangs and criminal organization on local communities, especially on young people. One of the ways that USAID works to address youth issues in Central America is by partnering with local organizations and governments to invest in crime and drug prevention programs.
To highlight the need to engage youth and harness their potential for positive development, First Lady Michelle Obama visited the site of a USAID project called ¡Supérate! in San Salvador.
Accompanied by USAID Administrator Raj Shah, the first lady helped 30 enthusiastic ¡Supérate! students complete their community service project by painting a mural to decorate the center’s health clinic, which is scheduled to open next month.
Analysis: War trumps peace and a president’s trip
Associated Press | Posted: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 5:38 am
In the heart of his mission to Latin America, President Barack Obama tried to get the world to see what he saw.
“Latin America is at peace,” he said in Chile.
The world, however, has been busy. His speech was not the story. War always tends to trump peace.
In his first extended trip to Latin America, Obama leaves Wednesday on a fitting note: dealing with the crisis in Libya, the first war launched on his watch. Libya so dominated the atmosphere of Obama’s journey that his agenda for the Americas felt secondary from the start. To many at home, it was.
Obama’s last scheduled activity here will be a strategy call on Libya with his national security team, not the long-planned tour of Mayan ruins in this small, coastal Central American country. The president, Mauricio Funes, openly wished for Obama to stay longer to enjoy the beaches. The reality is that Obama is leaving town a few hours earlier than scheduled.
The forces pulling him away from his intended message, both abroad and at home, seem as great as at any time in his presidency.
An entire swath of the Middle East and North Africa is in upheaval. And while the rapid transformations in Tunisia and Egypt emerged in relative peace, the White House is trying to help prevent the worst in volatile Yemen and Bahrain. A tsunami, earthquake and nuclear crisis in Japan consumed attention just as Libya’s Moammar Gadhafi tried to crush a rebellion.
It doesn’t make for a great time to push his education agenda, as Obama has been trying to do all month back home.
And then came this trip. In the moment, it has two competing legacies.
The one seen by him and leaders in this vast part of the world is a visit that will pay off for years. A president’s most valuable commodity is considered to be his time, and even when Obama was on the brink of war, he still spent more than four days in Brazil, Chile and El Salvador. It was a commitment not just to those democracies but to an emerging region that hundreds of millions call home.
“A trip like this is extraordinarily important to advance our relationships in the Americas,” deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said. “The benefits of good relations with these nations _ in terms of economic growth, energy security and democracy promotion _ will yield substantial benefits for the United States over time.”
Then there is the other legacy, the sense that Obama has been operating in another world.
The president has been heavily engaged in directing his war council and getting updates about the U.S.-led effort to pound Gadhafi’s air defenses into history. Yet the optics, and some speeches, have felt out of place at times.
As war began _ at about the same time as the trip _ perhaps the most memorable images of Obama were of him kicking a soccer ball with eager children in Rio de Janeiro or standing in the moonlit mist with his family under the outstretched arms of the city’s world-famous statue of Jesus.
He promoted energy cooperation and student exchange programs, but American reporters quizzed him for clarity on his war policy.
“I know our headlines are often dominated by events in other parts of the world,” Obama said in his speech in Chile, trying to draw attention back to his central point. “But let’s never forget: Every day, the future is being forged by the countries and peoples of Latin America.”
At home, Obama and his team have made a concerted effort to stay on message _ avoiding temptation to jump into the day’s news or react to the latest provocation from a critic unless doing so fit into the White House’s overarching message. Obama showed the same approach abroad. He addressed Libya only to announce he had authorized U.S. military forces to act, and when the topic came up at two news conferences. But he stuck with all the official welcomes, elaborate dinners and topics he came here to promote.
It played well and made headlines at every stop. An editorial in one of Brazil’s largest newspapers said the trip had “much more than symbolic importance” and “may open a new stage of political understanding and an economic partnership beneficial for both sides.”
Back home, stories about the trip did not make the front pages. It was all Libya.
And there were moments when the trip’s two themes could not help but collide. On Monday night in Chile, Obama learned that a U.S. fighter jet on a strike mission against a government missile site in eastern Libya had crashed. Obama, through his national security adviser and chief of staff, got updates even during dinner with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera.
Both crewmen had ejected safely, but the crash served as a reminder that the costs of any military offensive are real.
“The president was fully capable of communicating securely with his senior national security team and military commanders on Libya, as well as foreign leaders, while also leading our diplomacy here in the Americas,” Rhodes said. “It is a fact of the presidency that you will have to deal with multiple issues at once.”
Some issues just get more attention than others.
http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/article_36232641-096a-5e45-a50d-d31cf375de38.html
President Obama’s Trip to El Salvador:
Its Importance and Meaning
Viernes, 28 de Enero de 2011 / 08:06 h
El viaje del Presidente Obama a El Salvador: importancia y significado
Dr. Victor M. Valle
La noticia ha circulado: a fines de marzo del año en curso, el Presidente Obama visitará El Salvador. El hecho merece algunos comentarios y reflexiones.
El anuncio de la visita a El Salvador se hizo en un evento de gran notoriedad política: el informe anual presidencial del Presidente Obama al Congreso Bi-cameral de los Estados Unidos. Eso da a la visita una relevancia que merece analizarse.
Cuando escuché en vivo el discurso de Obama, de más de una hora de duración, concluí que este discurso –obra maestra de oratoria política- era ni más ni menos un relanzamiento de Obama hacia las grandes batallas por mantenerse en la Presidencia después del 2013.
Obama habló de la grandeza y la singularidad de Estados Unidos y de su posible futuro. Estados Unidos, dijo, es la economía más grande del planeta, más que todas juntas de China, Japón, Alemania y Francia.
El ceremonial fue muy solemne. Transcurrieron más de cinco minutos de prolongados aplausos entre el anuncio del arribo del Presidente hasta que lo dejaron hablar en el pódium.
El discurso contuvo frases impactantes sobre economía, inmigración, homosexuales en el ejército, innovaciones necesarias, desafíos en educación, necesidades de infraestructura, sistemas de salud que no exploten a los pacientes, duplicaciones burocráticas, importancia de la familia, las luchas por la democracia en Túnez y el compromiso ético de estar siempre del lado de la salvaguarda de los intereses del pueblo.
Es en ese contexto que Obama, casi al final del discurso, anunció que, para forjar nuevas alianzas para el progreso en las Américas, hará pronto un viaje a Brasil, Chile y El Salvador.
Y acotó que debe trabajarse con aquellos que asumen sus responsabilidades en cuanto a que los campesinos produzcan más alimentos y los médicos curen más enfermos y, principalmente, a combatir la corrupción que descompone las sociedades y quita oportunidades para el pueblo.
El gobierno de El Salvador ha de estar muy satisfecho. Esto sin duda es un logro de la política exterior actual.
Es promisorio que Obama y sus analistas diplomáticos hayan escogido estos tres países como emblemáticos y con algún tipo de representatividad en la región. Los tres países tienen un pasado de dictaduras crueles y torturadoras que contaron con el patrocinio de gobiernos anteriores de Estados Unidos: Pinochet en Chile, la dictadura militar de Brasil y la larga dictadura de El Salvador por la que hubo guerra civil. Y los tres países han recorrido un magnífico y heroico camino para construir su democracia que ojalá sea firme y duradera y cada vez más profunda.
Obama entonces puede enmendar errores de política exterior y emprender alianzas de nuevo tipo. Ojalá así sea.
Los Presidentes de El Salvador han tenido peculiares estilos de elogiar al estamento de poder de Estados Unidos. Duarte besó la bandera de Estados Unidos, mientras era Presidente de El Salvador. Flores dijo que su mayor orgullo era que G.W. Bush lo hubiese llamado amigo.
(Como si en política hubiese amigos). El actual Presidente Funes dijo en su discurso inaugural que uno de sus referentes políticos era Barack Obama. Sin duda, el estilo más exitoso ha sido el del Presidente Funes, pues Obama ha anunciado, con la visita a El Salvador y otros países, un punto de inflexión en la historia de las relaciones inter-americanas.
Es importante reflexionar sobre los parámetros que fija Obama en su discurso: su gobierno quiere socios que asuman sus responsabilidades en las áreas de salud y seguridad alimentaria y en el combate a la corrupción.
Es fácil deducir que Obama y sus asesores han concluido que el actual gobierno de El Salvador ha hecho algo para que los campesinos produzcan alimentos, el sistema de salud cure enfermos y se elimine la corrupción como práctica sistemática de los líderes del gobierno. Y eso es buena noticia.
Pero también es lógico concluir que, si algo debe resultar de la vista de Obama, es un sólido compromiso estratégico para progresar en materia de salud para todos, seguridad alimentaria para las grandes mayorías y erradicación la corrupción en la función pública y en la actividad empresarial. Y eso es posible y necesario.
http://watchingamerica.com/News/88042/president-obamas-trip-to-el-salvador-its-importance-and-significance/?SHOW_ORIGINAL_TEXT
President Obama’s Trip to El Salvador:
Its Importance and Meaning
By Dr Victor M. Valle
Translated By Katherine Wootton
28 January 2011
Edited by Mark DeLucas
El Salvador – Diario Co Latino – Original Article (Spanish)
The news has gotten around: At the end of March, President Obama will visit El Salvador. This fact deserves some commentary and reflection.
The announcement of the visit to El Salvador was made during a very well-known political event: the annual presidential report from President Obama to both houses of the United States Congress. That lends an importance to the visit that deserves to be examined.
When I heard Obama’s speech live — which lasted more than an hour — I concluded that this speech, a masterpiece of political oratory, was nothing less than a launch by Obama back into the battle to retain the presidency after 2012.
Obama spoke of the greatness and the exceptional nature of the United States and of its possible future. The U.S., he said, has the largest economy on the planet, bigger than that of China, Japan, Germany and France combined.
The occasion was very formal. There were more than five minutes of prolonged applause between the announcement of the president’s arrival and when he began to speak at the podium.
The speech contained impressive sentences about the economy, immigration, homosexuals in the army, necessary innovations, challenges in education, infrastructure needs, health systems that don’t exploit patients, bureaucratic redundancies, the importance of family, fights for democracy in Tunisia and the ethical commitment to always being on the side of defending the interests of the people.
It is in that context that Obama, near the end of his speech, announced that, in order to forge new alliances for progress in the Americas, he would soon be traveling to Brazil, Chile and El Salvador.
He also commented that he would work with those who help ensure that farmers produce more food and that doctors care for more sick people and, chiefly, with those who combat the corruption that rots societies and takes opportunities from people.
The El Salvador government must be very satisfied. This is doubtless an achievement of current foreign policy.
It’s promising that Obama and his diplomatic analysts have chosen these three countries as emblematic and in some way representative of the region. The three countries have a past of cruel and torturous dictatorships that counted on the support of previous U.S. governments: Pinochet in Chile, the military dictatorship of Brazil and the long dictatorship of El Salvador, which led to a civil war. And the three countries have traveled a magnificent and heroic path to building democracies that are hopefully stable, long-lasting and ever more profound.
Obama, then, can rectify errors of foreign policy and undertake alliances of a new type. Let’s hope it turns out that way.
The presidents of El Salvador have had particular styles of praising U.S. power. Duarte kissed the American flag while he was president of El Salvador. Flores said his greatest pride was that George W. Bush had called him a friend (as if there were friends in politics).
President Funes said in his inaugural speech that one of his political models was Barack Obama. Without a doubt, the most successful style was that of President Funes, seeing as Obama, with the visit to El Salvador and other countries, has announced a turning point in the history of relations between the Americas.
It’s important to reflect on the parameters that Obama set in his speech: his government wants partners who take responsibility in the areas of health, food safety and combating corruption.
It’s easy to see that Obama and his advisers have come to the conclusion that the current El Salvador government has done something toward ensuring that farmers produce food, that the health system cares for the sick and that corruption as a systematic practice of government leaders is eliminated. And this is good news.
But it’s also logical to conclude that, if something should come of Obama’s visit, it’s a solid strategic commitment to progress as regards health for all, food safety for the large majority and the eradication of corruption in public service and business activity. And that is possible and necessary.
http://watchingamerica.com/News/88042/president-obamas-trip-to-el-salvador-its-importance-and-significance/
Presidential Trip to El Salvador Highlights Youth
Posted by Mark Feierstein on March 23, 2011 at 09:56 AM EDT
Cross-posted from the USAID blog.
On his trip to Latin America, President Obama highlighted the theme of partnership and echoed President Kennedy’s challenge “to build a hemisphere where all people can hope for a sustainable, suitable standard of living, and all can live out their lives in dignity and in freedom.”
One of the modern challenges for Latin American countries like El Salvador is addressing the grip of gangs and criminal organization on local communities, especially on young people. One of the ways that USAID works to address youth issues in Central America is by partnering with local organizations and governments to invest in crime and drug prevention programs.
To highlight the need to engage youth and harness their potential for positive development, First Lady Michelle Obama visited the site of a USAID project called ¡Supérate! in San Salvador.
Accompanied by USAID Administrator Raj Shah, the first lady helped 30 enthusiastic ¡Supérate! students complete their community service project by painting a mural to decorate the center’s health clinic, which is scheduled to open next month.
¡Supérate! (which means improve yourself!) is a three-year after-school program that provides English, computer and life skills training to underprivileged youth-at risk (ages 13-18) who have demonstrated high academic performance and a desire for self-improvement. Students train two hours, six days a week before or after their regular school day.
Students involved in this enriching program develop the skills necessary for a successful transition to higher education and or future jobs. With the help of Microsoft, youth involved in iSupérate! have access to computers and other technologies that allow them to further their education and compete in the modern job market. More than 300 ¡Supérate! graduates have obtained university scholarships and/or permanent employment.
The program was launched in 2004 by the Sagrera Palomo Family Foundation, a local organization. Encouraged by the earlier success of ¡Supérate!, USAID teamed up with the foundation and Microsoft to open six new education centers in El Salvador. The partnership expects to benefit an additional 1,000 youths through the next 3 years.
At the event today, the first lady congratulated the students and the community of teachers and mentors who support them for their achievements and emphasized how important it is for students to give back to their communities through action.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/03/23/presidential-trip-el-salvador-highlights-youth
The First Family ROCKS. FLOTUS is Beautiful!
LOL Another photo to make the “BECKIES” sulk and turn green.
She’s the epitome of beauty & grace!
Damn!! FLOTUS you look good!!!!!!
President Obama & First Lady Michelle Attend State Dinner In El Salvador
Cheers to you First Lady!
Our First Lady is gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!